Overcome Fear of Change Nampa ID

The business organism must grow to survive.What is the miracle that stimulates growth? It’s called change. Change is the sharp stick that moves us out of our comfort zones, and forces us. Change creates opportunity for growth. But why do we resist change so much? Why is it that when change happens oftentimes our first reaction is to dig in our heels?

Overcome Fear of Change

Provided By:

Conquer These 4 Barriers and Move Your Business and Life Forward

By John Baker

The business organism must grow to survive.What is the miracle that stimulates growth? It’s called change. Change is the sharp stick that moves us out of our comfort zones, and forces us, as George Lucas would say, “To do dangerous and scary things.” Change creates opportunity for growth. But why do we resist change so much? Why is it that when change happens oftentimes our first reaction is to dig in our heels?

Asking yourself constructive questions allows you to overcome the following four barriers of change:

Barrier #1: Fear. New things threaten both old practices and tightly held beliefs. When we feel threatened, we feel fear, which affects us both physically and emotionally. And, if we perceive the change as personally targeted, our sense of fear magnifies. Peter Senge said, “People don’t resist change. They resist being changed.” Once we feel the “victim” of change, our perspective becomes narrow and self-centered: That’s why people going through change frequently seem self-absorbed. “This change is all about me.” In this state of mind, our response to change is often irrational.

But fear can be managed. Using reasoning skills, positive self-talk, and other support systems — encouraging friends and supportive family — we can achieve our goals despite the presence of fear. To confront fear and overcome the first change barrier, ask yourself: • Why fear change if it leads to success just around the bend? • What are my talents, strengths, and contributions that survive the change? • What value can I add? How can I be of service to someone else?

Barrier #2: The “What If” Game. When things begin to change, we waste an enormous amount of time looking back and reminiscing on the question of “What if…?” What if I hadn’t made that terrible career move? What if I had gotten my degree? What if I invested in better ventures? What if I had been a better parent or spouse? The “what if” game is like a big penalty box, paralyzing players from moving forward and taking action. To stop playing this game, fill your mind up with forward-looking, solution-centered questions. o• What positive effect on my life does going back to school deliver? o• What favorable outcome would result by committing more time to an important priority? o• What resources are available to me? • Where do I go for help? Where can I help out?

Barrier #3: Labels. So you’ve lost your job and you’re no longer the VP at Widget Inc. Your role has been outsourced. Your corner office is gone. Your secretary is gone, too. You feel defeated by the events the world has thrown at you. But wait: You’re not your job. You’re not the corner office or the title on your business card, or the plaques on the wall. These are just labels. You were an effective, happy, productive person before you acquired these accoutrements, and that hasn’t changed. You still have skills and exp...

Having your own business could become a dream come true. As children, we dream and plan for what "we want to be when we grow up" and continue planning up and around the career ladder throughout adulthood. And then comes retirement. While traditional travel and leisure pursuits sound appealing, for many, the realities and stress associated with change, lack of structure, and even "too much of a good thing" can leave some longing for the days of schedules, deadlines, and problem-solving.